List of executioners


This is a list of people who have acted as official executioners.

Algeria

Monsieur d'Alger: The Executioners of the French Republic

In 1870 the Republic of France abolished all local executioners and named the executioner of Algiers, Antoine Rasseneux, Éxécuteur des Arrêts Criminels en Algérie, which became France's official description of the executioner of Algeria's occupation. From then on there would be one only executioner to carry out death sentences for all of Algeria. Since the colony's executioner was required to live in Algiers, people soon started to refer to him as "Le Monsieur d'Alger". Upon his nomination, Rasseneux was permitted to choose four among France's and Algeria's former local executioners to be his aides.

Brazil

After 1808, during the Portuguese-Brazilian Kingdom and the Empire, when Brazil's States were still called "Provinces" and the currency was called "Reis", Brazil had factually abolished torture but was a busy death penalty country.

Method of execution was public hanging by an ultra-short drop of approximately 90 cm, with the executioner, after having activated the trap door or pushed the convict, according to the gallows's structure, climbed a ladder and launched himself rope downwards, hitting on the convict's shoulders with his weight.

Executioners generally were selected among convicts of capital crimes who had their death sentences stayed for indefinite terms or even commuted for life without parole, and who in exchange for their stays or commutations had to carry out the executions ordered by law. Executioners were, whenever possible, selected from among slaves convicted for a capital crime. And except for the province of Rio Grande do Norte, executioners had obligatorily to be of African descent.

As stayed or commuted convicts, executioners consequently lived as inmates in the prisons of the respective towns where they were based. When an execution was to be carried out elsewhere in his area, the executioner would be transported to the place of execution in chains and sleep in the local prison; after an attempt of murder against Fortunato José in 1834, prisons started separating the executioners from other inmates.

In the province of Rio Grande do Norte, the executioner had always to be the convict scheduled to die next after an execution, so that province's last execution had to be carried out by a firing squad, after the necessary emergency change of execution protocol.

In the state of Rio de Janeiro, after Independence September 7, 1822 there were also free executioners of African descent who having to travel around, were reached by couriers with execution orders.

Executioners, also when slaves, were paid for their executions; at the example of the province of Minas Gerais, we can establish payment was between 4$000 and 12$000 per execution.

The last execution of a free convict in Brazil was that of José Pereira de Sousa October 30, 1861 in Santa Luzia, GO. The last execution at all under law in Brazil was that of the slave Francisco April 28, 1876 in Pilar, AL.

Brazil abolished capital punishment officially with the Proclamation of the Republic November 15, 1889, and by law with its first Republican Constitution of 1891 and Penal Code of September 22, 1892.

Denmark

France

Alsace

Bas-Rhin (67)

Andlau
Benfeld
Bernardswiller
see: Andlau
Bischwiller
Bouquenom
see: Sarre-Union
Bouxwiller
Brumath
Châtenois
Dambach-la-Ville
Diemeringen
Elsenheim
see: Ohnenheim
Epfig
Erstein
see: Epfig
Fleckenstein (Lembach)
see: Memmelshoffen
Fouchy
Geispolsheim
Goersdorf
Gougenheim
Gumbrechtshoffen
see: Gundershoffen
Gundershoffen
Haguenau
Herrlisheim
Hochfelden
Ingwiller
La Petite-Pierre
Lalaye
Lauterbourg
Maisonsgoutte
Marckolsheim
Marmoutier
Memmelshoffen
Molsheim
Mommenheim
Nordhouse
Obernai
Ohnenheim
Otterswiller
see: Saverne
Petersbach
see: La Petite-Pierre
Reichshoffen
see: Gundershoffen
Reutenbourg
Riedheim
see: Bouxwiller
Sarre-Union
Saverne
Schopperten
see: Sarre-Union
Sélestat
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Villé
Wasselonne
Westhoffen
see: Wasselonne
Weyersheim
Wissembourg

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see: Mulhouse
Mulhouse
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Rouffach
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines
see: Ribeauvillé
Thann
Traubach (Traubach-le-Bas and Traubach-le-Haut)
Vieux-Thann
see: Thann
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see: Chinon
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Reims
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Haute-Marne (52)

Bourmont
Chaumont
Langres

Corse

With a four-year delay in 1875 also Corsica was integrated into the area of the executioner of the republic's activity; see: Monsieur de Paris
For the different department numbers, before 1976 Corsica used to be one department only and was codenumbered with 20 by then.

Corse-du-Sud (2A)

Ajaccio

Haute-Corse (2B)

Bastia

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Montbéliard

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Lons-le-Saunier

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Territoire de Belfort (90)

Belfort
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Évreux
Gisors
Pont-Audemer

Seine-Maritime (76)

Caudebec-en-Caux
Dièppe
Rouen

Île-de-France

Paris (75)

Prévoté de l'Hôtel du Roi
Prévoté de Paris

Seine-et-Marne (77)

Meaux
Melun
Provins

Yvelines (78)

Mantes
Meulan
see: Mantes
Montfort-l'Amaury
Versailles (Prévoté de l'Hôtel du Roi)
Prévôté de Versailles

Essonne (91)

Dourdan
see: Étampes
Étampes
La Ferté-Alais
see: Étampes

Hauts-de-Seine 92

No local executioner known so far

Seine-Saint-Denis (93)

No local executioner known so far

Val-de-Marne (94)

No local executioner known so far

Val-d'Oise (95)

Pontoise

Languedoc-Roussillon

Aude (11)

Carcassonne
Castelnaudary
Limoux
Narbonne

Gard (30)

Nîmes

Hérault (34)

Montpellier

Lozère (48)

Mende

Pyrénées-Orientales (66)

Perpignan

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Tulle

Creuse (23)

Guéret

Haute-Vienne 87

Limoges

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Baccarat
Badonviller
Bauzemont
Bayon
Blâmont
Briey
Conflans-en-Jarnisy
Deneuvre
see: Baccarat
Domjevin
see: Bauzemont
Einville-au-Jard
Foug
Gerbéviller
Haraucourt
see: Einville-au-Jard
Harbouey
see: Blâmont
Longuyon
Longwy
Lunéville
Nancy
Nomény
see: Pont-à-Mousson
Norroy-le-Sec
Pont-à-Mousson
Réchicourt-la-Petite
see: Blâmont
Saint-Clément
see: Baccarat
Saint-Nicolas-de-Port
Sancy
Thézey-Saint-Martin
see: Delme at Moselle
Thiaucourt (Thiaucourt-Regniéville)
see: Pont-à-Mousson
Toul
Ville-sur-Yron
see: Conflans-en-Jarnisy
Villers-la-Montagne

Meuse (55)

Arrancy-sur-Crusne
see: Longuyon at Meurthe-et-Moselle
Avioth
Bar-le-Duc
Billy-sous-Mangiennes
Commercy
Damvillers
Étain
Fresnes-en-Woëvre
Herméville-en-Woëvre
Marville
Montmédy
Saint-Mihiel
Verdun

Moselle (57)

Ancerville
Angevillers
Ay-sur-Moselle
see: Buding
Bambiderstroff
see: Courcelles-sur-Nied
Béchy
Beux
see: Béchy
Bitche
see: Schorbach
Boulay
Buding
Budling
see: Buding
Château-Salins
Château-Voué
see: Dieuze
Courcelles-Chaussy
Courcelles-sur-Nied
Delme
Dieuze
Ébersviller
see: Hombourg-Budange
Elzange
see: Rodemack
Faulquemont
Fénétrange
see: Niederstinzel
Filstroff
Forbach
Freistroff
Gorze
Grostenquin
Hérange
Hombourg-Budange
Insming
Jallaucourt
Kédange-sur-Canner
Kirsch-lès-Sierck
Lixheim
Longeville-lès-Saint-Avold
Lorquin
Louvigny
Lutzelbourg
Metz
Montenach
Morhange
Niederstinzel
Phalsbourg
Porcelette
Prévocourt
Puttelange-aux-Lacs
Rodemack
Saint-Avold
Sarralbe
Sarrebourg
Sarreguemines
Schorbach
Sierck-les-Bains
Thionville
Tincry
Tragny
Vatimont
Vic-sur-Seille

Vosges (88)

Bruyères
Charmes
Châtel-sur-Moselle
Châtenois
Darney
Dompaire
Épinal
La Neuveville-sous-Châtenois
Mirecourt
Neufchâteau
Rambervillers
Remiremont
Saint-Dié
Saint-Nabord

Midi-Pyrénées

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Foix

Aveyron (12)

Rodez

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Toulouse

Gers (32)

Auch
Lectoure

Lot (46)

Cahors

Hautes-Pyrénées (65)

Tarbes

Tarn (81)

Albi

Tarn-et-Garonne (82)

Montauban

Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Nord (59)

Cambrai
Douai
Lille
Maubeuge
Valenciennes

Pas-de-Calais (62)

Arras
Boulogne
Calais
Saint-Omer

Pays de la Loire

Loire-Atlantique (44; before 1957 Loire Inférieure)

Nantes

Maine-et-Loire (49)

Angers
Saumur

Mayenne (53)

Château-Gontier
Laval

Sarthe (72)

La Flèche
Le Mans

Vendée (85)

Fontenay-le-Comte

Picardie

Aisne (02)

Laon
Soissons

Oise (60)

Beauvais
Clermont
Compiègne
Crépy-en-Valois
Noyon
Senlis

Somme (80)

Amiens

Poitou-Charentes

Charente (16)

Angoulême

Charente-Maritime (17)

La Rochelle
Rochefort
Saintes

Deux-Sèvres (79)

Niort
Saint-Maixent-l'École
Thouars

Vienne (86)

Civray
Loudun
Poitiers

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04)

Digne

Hautes-Alpes (05)

Gap

Alpes-Maritimes (06)

Nice

Bouches-du-Rhône (13)

Aix-en-Provence

Var (83)

Draguignan

Vaucluse (84)

Carpentras

Rhône-Alpes

Ain (01)

Bourg-en-Bresse

Ardèche (07)

Privas

Drôme (26)

Valence

Isère (38)

Grenoble

Loire (42)

Feurs
Montbrison

Rhône (69)

Lyon

Savoie (73)

Chambéry

Monsieur de Paris: The Executioners of the French Republic

In 1870 the Republic of France abolished all local executioners and named the executioner of Paris, Jean-François Heidenreich, Exécuteur des Arrêts Criminels, which became France's official description of the executioner's occupation. From then on, there would be only one executioner to carry out death sentences for all of France except Corsica, which would follow in 1875. As the Republic's executioner was required to live in Paris, people soon started to refer to him as "Monsieur de Paris", "The Mister from Paris". At the occasion of his nomination, Heidenreich could choose four among France's former local executioners to be his aides.

French Guiana

Monsieur de Cayenne: The Executioners of the French Republic

Cayenne Central Prison never used its own guillotine. All death sentences of convicts and locally condemned prisoners were conducted at Saint-Laurent.

Monsieur de Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni|Saint-Laurent: The Executioners of the Bagne

All executioners of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni were Bagne inmates themselves.

Germany

Local Executioners (1276 to between 1848 and 1871)

Bitterfeld


Celle


Frankenstein


Hamburg


Husum


Lentzen


Öttingen


Schwabmünchen


Waal


Wittstock

Hans ? 1537

West Germany (1949 to 1951/53)

Except for Western Berlin where the Allied did not validate the new German constitution, West Germany had abolished capital punishment May 23, 1949. For West Berlin, the death penalty would still continue in law until January 20, 1951. Despite at least one executioner continued nominated, no death sentences or executions ordered by German courts in that period have been reported so far.

Hungary

Until 1868 most of executors employed by one-one bigger cities or travellers did this as temporary job. Emperor Joseph II introduced a law reform. The separate legislatures of the cities will be abolished, as will the patrimonial tribunal and the "pallos jog" of the estates. Before that, bakó belonged to the status of the county, the city, the larger estate, now five executioners will be enough throughout Hungary. Later he abolished even the capital punishmentbut in 1795 Emperor Franz I. reintroduced.
*Schüch Pál executioner of Pest
The list of state executioners
  • Kornberger, Mihály executioner
  • Kozarek, Ferenc state executioner
  • Bali, Mihály state executioner
  • Gold, Károly state executioner
  • Kozarek, Antal state executioner
  • Id. state executioner
  • Ifj. Bogár, János state executioner .
  • Pradlik, György the last state executioner

India

Mullick family, Culcutta

  • Shivlal Mullick
  • Nata Mullick
  • Mahadeb Mullick
  • Prabhat Mullick

Lakshman Ram family, Meerut

  • Lakshman Ram Majeera
  • Mammu Singh
  • Kalu Ram
  • Pawan Kumar

  • Babu Ahmad

Others

  • Arjun Bhika Jadhav
  • Janardhan Pillai
  • Pooja Raj
  • "Jallad" Ahmadullah Khan 1965-
  • Balkrishna Rao Valekar

Ireland

Ireland consisted of the Kingdom of Ireland between 1534 and 1800; it was part of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland">monarchy">Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801–1922; after that it was Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State; from 1937 the southern part was the Republic of Ireland.

Malaysia

New Caledonia

Monsieur de la Bagne: The Executioners of the Bagne

All executioners of New Caledonia's Bagne were inmates themselves.

Pakistan

In Pakistan, executioners have obligatorily to be Christians.

Romania

Spain

Switzerland

Saint-Gall

United States

John C. Woods. Hangman for the Third Army in WWII. He was one of the hangmen who executed Nazi war criminals.
Joseph Malta was the hangman who, with John C. Woods, executed the top 10 leaders of the Third Reich in Nuremberg on October 16, 1946, for crimes against humanity.

Arkansas

During the first part of the 20th century, operators of the electric chair were known as "State electricians".

Ohio

Before Statehood

  • Sheriff John Ludlow on November 15, 1792

Adams County

  • Sheriff John Ellison, Jr. on December 10, 1808

Cuyahoga County

  • Sheriff Samuel S. Baldwin and Deputy Sheriff & Coroner Levi Johnson on June 26, 1812
  • Sheriff Miller S. Spangler on June 1, 1855
  • Sheriff Felix Nicola on February 9 and 10, 1866 and August 10, 1866
  • Sheriff John Frazee on February 4 or 13, 1869 and April 25, 1872
  • Sheriff Pardon B. Smith on April 29, 1874
  • Sheriff A. P. Winslow on June 22, 1876
  • Sheriff John Wilcox on February 13, 1879

Fairfield County

  • Sheriff Daniel Kishler and Coroner John Heck on October 14, 1836

Franklin County

  • Sheriff William Domigan and Coroner A. W. Reader on February 9, 1844
  • Sheriff Silas W. Park and Coroner Elias Gaver on December 17, 1858

Gallia County

  • Sheriff Samuel Holcomb on September 9, 1817

Ross County

  • Sheriff Jeremiah McLene and Coroner Benjamin Urmston on August 3, 1804

Portage County

  • Sheriff Asa Burroughs on November 30, 1816

State Executioners with the Gallows

  • Warden Isaac Peetry between 1885 and 1886, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden E.G. Coffin between 1886 and 1890, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden B.F. Dyer between 1890 and 1892, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden C.C. James between 1892 and 1896, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden E.G. Coffin between 1896 and 1897, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences

State Executioners with the Electric Chair

  • Warden E.G. Coffin between 1897 and 1900, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden W.N. Darby between 1900 and 1903, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden E. A. Hershey between 1903 and 1904, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden O.B. Gould between 1904 and 1909, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden T.H.B. Jones between 1909 and 1913, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden D.E. Thomas between 1913 and 1935, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden J.C. Woodard between 1935 and 1939, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden F.D. Henderson between 1939 and 1948, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden R.W. Alvis between 1948 and 1959, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden B.C. Sacks between 1959 and 1961, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences
  • Warden E.L. Maxwell between 1961 and 1963, required by state law to be the executioner of death sentences

Oklahoma

Pennsylvania

  • Zoe Himes in 1911
  • Frank Wilson electrical industry superintendent from Pittsburgh area who served as executioner between 1939 and 1953 at Rockview Prison.

South Carolina

Tench Boozer

Texas